Flash Book

[tonyjr]

I want / need a good book on flash.
I have the 7D, XTI, 580 mk II, 380, several off brand flashes for EOS cameras.
I looked at peterson"s flash book - mainly for film.
Something that goes from basic stuff to maybe using on macro's. I am not in a studio. Will be like a walk about / general purpose thing.

[dksm]

Mastering Canon EOS Flash Photography by nk guy published by rocky nook

[Dizzy]

Tony, if you haven't already, check out Strobist.Com, as there is a wealth
of data there about off-camera flash use.

[herbert]

Mastering Canon EOS Flash Photography by nk guy published by rocky nook

This book is more about all the different specifications of the Canon flash system. It is a good book but more of a reference for what flash works with what camera body with what features.

This is a better Canon based flash book for the entry to intermediate level:


Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites [Paperback]
Syl Arena

It covers the Canon flash system including remote triggers, lighting and modifiers. However it is based around portrait lighting. There is not a lot of stuff about macro. Most of the concepts are transferable but you will have to experiment.

I do not know of a macro flash book. It's covered by the macro books I have read. Basically use a ring light for flat frontal lighting or use a bracket to get one or more lights to shine at angles on your subject creating form and 3d texture. The main problem with macro flash is getting the light to clear the front of your lens so it shines on the subject which is typically only a few inches in front of the lens. This is why brackets are used. Be prepared to see high prices for seemingly simple bits of metal.

Alex

[inkista]

+1 on the Syl Arena book over the Strobist website or anything by Joe McNally. As great as Hobby/McNally are, they're Nikon shooters, and you have to translate things like "FP mode" every now and then. Syl Arena's writing specifically for Canon users, and covers all the basics.

I'd also point to Neil van Niekerk's Tangents blog/website for on-camera techniques. He shoots both systems, and tends to be more agnostic than the other flash writers, as well as explaining the differences in the two systems. There's also a dead-tree version of the "Flash Photography Techniques" section of the website.

Last but not least, lighting in general (not specifically strobe/flash lighting), the undisputed champ of college texts would be Light: Science and Magic.

[tonyjr]

Thanks, so far it looks like
Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites [Paperback]

[rpcrowe]

By the way... there is lots of Canon flash information on YouTube also. Just do a YouTube search for Canon Flash or Canon Speedlite or Canon Speedlight

An example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5byuHJ9uBns

[tonyjr]

Thanks , I ordered it this morning .
Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites [Paperback]
Syl Arena
I checked out the strobist web site again . Maybe if you know what you want and or how to use correct search term other wise you get distracted by all the adds .
http://strobist.blogspot.com/
In case you are wondering - it takes at least 2- a great book - to 1 it's OK -
Now to see how long it takes Amazon to get it to me .
Edited, Sorry - pain pills - a little scatter brained -
also ordered
"Ultra Image Software for Canon"
Edited -
I bought both -
Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites [Paperback]
Syl Arena
Light - science and magic - Fil Hunter -4th edition
So far Speedliter's Handbook: is pretty good . About 1/10 of the way thru it . Yes , I would buy again and has things I did not know in 1st few pages . Easy to read
Light - science and magic - will read after I finish Speedliter's